Table top



April 26, 1938. w. N. THURN ET AL TABLE TOP Filed NOV. 19, 1934 Patented Apr. 26, 1938 PATENT OFFICE TABLE TD! .Walter N. Thurn and George W. Shuits,

by mesne assignments, to Libbey- Ill., assignors,

Owens-Ford Glass Company,

Chicago,

Toledo, Ohio Application November 19, 1934, Serial No. 753,560

3 Claims.

This invention relates to table top construction and more particularly to table tops and similar devices provided with a metallic marginal binding strip or molding arranged to cover the edges of the top to protect the edges and corners, as well as to provide a neat and attractive structure.

While the invention is applicable to various types of table tops, the particular structure herein illustrated and described is peculiarly adaptable to the manufacture of table tops providing a vitreous surface such as glass or other suitable vitreous material commonly used for table tops. These vitreous table tops asoriginally manufac tured have rough edges and it has heretofore been common practice to grindthes'e edges to provide a smooth and attractive surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a table top construction in which it is not necessary to grind or otherwise smooth the edges of the top and in which a. marginal binding strip is secured around the edges of the top completely covering the rough surface and maintained in clamping relation to the top structure by reason of its inherent resilience. This is particularly adaptable for use with laminated slabs.

A further object is the provision oi"-.a binding strip for a table top construction in which the strip completely encloses the marginal edges of the top and is maintained securely in position and in surface clamping relation with the top by merely securing the ends of the strip together by soldering or similar means.

A desirable feature of the invention is the provision of a binding strip or molding for embracing the edge surfaces of a table top in which the linear distance between the engaging surfaces is greater than the thickness of the top whereby the molding may be freely applied or removed and will snugly engage the top when in normal assembled relation.

Further objects will be apparent from the speciflcation and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on a line corresponding to line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the underside of one corner of the table structure Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a. table top and a binding strip or molding and illustrates the method of applying the strip to the top.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional perspective view of the binding'strip. I

of a table top as illustrated in Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of soldered corner of the finished table top.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the embodiment illustrated comprises a table top I having a marginal binding strip 2 completely enclosing the edges of the table top. The detail construction of the top and the assembled relation of the parts are more clearly illustrated in section in 2. The present embodiment comprises a slab 3 forming the surface of the laminated table top and which'is preferably of vitreous material. such as glass or similar material commonly used in the construction of table tops. A wood base 4 is provided for reenforcing the vitreous slab 3, and a layer of sound absorbing material 4 such as rubberoid roofing, paper, cement. or any suitable type of adhesive is applied between the slabs 3 and 4 during the manufacture of the top, and the slabs are thereby securely cemented together. The reenforclng base may be cemented directly to the vitreous top or the sound absorbing material may be cemented therebetween. The edges 5 are preferably left in their rough condition and are not ground or otherwise finished to provide a smooth surface as is necessary in the usual type of construction.

The vitreous slab 3, the base 4 and the sound absorbing material 4 therebetween may form a unitary table top slab. However, it is not essenone -tial that the base 4 be laminated as illustrated, and in fact, thetable top may comprise a single slab of vitreous material if desired. The binding strip or molding is equally adaptable to any desired type of table top slab.

The marginal binding strip 2 is provided with a vertical wall or body portion 6 for enclosing the rough edges of the table top, narrow lnturned upper flange is arranged to. overlap, and engage the upper surface of tlie vitreous slab 3 adjacent its edge. The flange 1 is folded to provide a returned portion 8 for stiffening the flange and to provide a smooth rounded edge. A comparatively wide lnturned bottom flange 9 is angularly positioned relative to the body portion 6 and is bent upwardly, as illustrated. to engage the bottom of the table top I. This lower flange is also folded to provide a comparatively wide lnturned stiffening portion In whereby the rigidity and neatnessof the flange is greatly increased. This arrangement provides a somewhat resllienhmarginal strip in which the vertical distance between the inner contacting edges of the two flanges may be normally slightly less than the thickness of the table top I. Also, the linear distance between the top engaging surand a comparatively the top to which it faces of the flanges is greater than the vertical distance, as well as greater than the thickness of is applied, whereby the molding may be easily applied by slightly tilting it relative to the table top.

The marginal strip 2 is preferably made as a single elongated sheet metal member such as illustrated in Fig. 4 and the flanges may be mitered or otherwise cut away at points corresponding to the corners of the table top in a manner to provide suitable closed flange joints when the strip is applied completely around the edge of the table. By means of this construction, the flanges 4 I and 9 provide sui'flcient resilience adjacent the vertical wall 8 whereby they may engage the table top adjacent the edge, and the laminations of the top will be snugly engaged by the resilient flanges. The clamping engagement of the flanges assists materially in preventing warpage of the wood base when the parts are in normal assembled relation. 7

In practice, the marginal strip or molding 2 is preferably made of stainless steel, although other suitable material may be used; After the binding strip 6 has been completely applied around the table top in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, and the free ends H and II are brought into contact as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the ends are soldered together to form a mitered joint as illustrated in Fig. 6. The entirecontact line of this joint, including the upper flanges along the mitered joint line I3, the vertical walls along the line I4, and the lower angular flanges along the mitered line I6, may be completely soldered or otherwise secured. a

While the vertical wall or bodyportion 6 of the binding strip is continuous around all except one corner and therefore does not require to be soldered at the other corners, themitered flanges may be soldered at each of these corners if desired. This arrangement provides a comparatively rigid structure completely enclosing the rough edges of the table top and providing sufficient resilience in the flanges .to securely clamp the table top therebetween, and the entire structure may be retained out the use offasteners of any kind.

Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims. i

.Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: a

1. An edge molding for a table top, comprising a sheet metal strip having a body portion wider than the thickness of the top and spaced inturned in assembled relation withtop, so that the molding may be freely portions for embracing opposite surfaces of said top, the vertical distance between the inner contacting edges of the inturned portions being normally slightly less than the thickness of the table top so that the said portions will snugly engage the top when the molding is in normal assembled relation therewith, while the linear distance between the top engaging surfaces of said inturned portions is relatively greater than the vertical distance as well as greater than the thickness of the top, so that the molding may be freely applied by tilting it relative to the said top. w

2. An edge molding for a table top comprising a sheet metal strip having a body portion relatively wider than the thickness of the top and inturnedmarginal flanges for embracing opposite surfaces of said top, one of said flanges being an! gularly disposed relative to the other and engaging the table top only along aline which is'out of alignment with the line of engagement of the other flange, the vertical distance between the inner contacting edges of the two flanges being normally slightly less than the thickness of the table top so that the said flanges will snugly engage the top when the molding is in normal assembled relation therewith, while the linear distance between the top engaging surfaces of said flanges is relatively greater than the vertical distance, as well as greater than the thickness of the top, so that the molding may be freely applied by tilting it relative to the said top.

3. An edge molding fora table top, comprising I a sheet metal strip having a body portion relatively wider than the thickness of the top and inturned marginal flanges for embracing opposite surfaces of said top, One of said flanges being comparatively short and forming substantially a right angle withthe body portion and arranged to engage one surface of the top in substantially parallel relation therewith, the other flange being substantially longer than the first flange and disposed at an acute angle with respect to said'body portion and arranged to engage the other surface of said top only beyond the contacting portion of said flrst flange, the vertical distance between the inner contacting edges of the two flanges being normally slightly less than the thickness of the table top so that the said flanges will snugly engage the top when the molding is in normal assembled relation therewith, while thelineardistancebetween'the top engaging surfaces of said flanges is relatively greater than the vertical distance as well asgreater than the thickness of the I appliedby tilting it relativeto the said top.

WALTER N. THURN. GEORGE W. SI-IULTS. 

